Flushing-valve-operating mechanism.



W. L. HEAP.

FLUSBING VALVE OPERATING MEGHANISM.

APPLICATION PILED JAN. 10, 1914.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

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UNITED STATES rATENT ornron WILLIAM LIONEL HEAP, OF GBAND HAVEN, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM HEAP &7 SONS, OF GRAND HAVEN, MICHIGAN, A FIRM COMPOSED OF WILLIAM HEAP, WILLIAM LIONEL HEA?, ANI) CECIL E. I IEAP.

FLUSHING-VALVE-GPERATING MECHA'NISM,

Specfication of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

Application filed January 10, 1914. Serial No. 811324.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VVILLIAM LroNEL Hear, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Grand Haven, in the County of Ottawa and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Im provements in Flushing-Va[ve-Operating Mechanism, of which the following is a specificaton, reference being had therein to the accompanyng drawings.

The invention relates to fiushing valve operating mechanisms, being more particularly adapted for use in connection with wooden tanks having metallic linings for holding the water. With such constructions it is usual to mount the Operating handle or push butp ton upon the side of the wooden tank, while the valve which is operated by this device is seated upon the bottom of the tank. It has been found with such constructions that after they have been in use for some time the wood of the tank will swell, due to the presence of moisture, and as a consequence the relation between the Operating device and the valve actuated thereby is changed. Frequently this change is suiicient to cause the unseating of the valve when the deviee is in its normal position, which permits the wasting of the water and renders the device inoperative. NVith the present invention this difiiculty has been overcome by providing an Operating mechanism which is unaf- 'ected by any swelling or contraction of the wooden tank, as hereina'fter set forth.

In the drawings: Figure l is a perspective View of the fiushing tank and valve operating mechanism, with the lining of the tank removed; and Fig. 2 is a cross section showing the tank lining in position. Fg. 3 is a perspective view of the lever fulcrum support.

A is the wooden tank; B is the metallic lining therefor; C is the flushing valve which is normally seated in a fitting D mounted on the bottom of the tank; and E is the operating handle or push button mounted on the wooden tank.

To avoid perforation of the metallic lining and leakage of water therethrough, the connections between the push button E and the valve C are arranged to pass over the upper edge of the tank lining. Thus, where the push button is located near the bottom of the tank, as shown in Fig. 2, there is necessitated a mounting or fulcrum for the ntermedate'connections between said push button and the valve, which is located at the upper end of the tank or above the the mechanism at the top of the tank which is not attached directly to the side wall of the wooden case, but is Secured to the bottom of said case. This mounting is formed of material which is unaflected by moisture, which therefore avoids the difiiculty above referred to. Specifically, I preferably em ploy for this purpose of bar D' of metal which is adapted to lie between the wooden wall of the tank and the metallic lining and which is provided with a foot fiange E' secured to the bottom of the tank beneath the lining. The upper end of this bar D' mav be attached ,to the tank wall by a screw'ld passing through a slot F' in the bar, so as to permit of relative movement due to expansion or contraction of the wood. The upper end of the bar is suitably fashioned for engagement with a fitting G which forms the fulcrum bearing for the lever H or other intermediate connection between the push buttonand'the valve. As shown, this operating connection comprises, in addition to the lever H, a link I depending therefrom and engaging the shank J of a flushing valve, while a second link K extends from the opposite end of the lever downward between the lining of the tank and the wooden case and is connected with the push button E;

lVith the device constructed as described, the rod D' being mounted upon the bottom of the wooden tank, upon which is also mounted the seat tting D, there will, be no vertical displacement due to the swelling of the wood. Furthermore, as the rod D' is itself unaffected by moisture its upper end will remain in fixed relation .to the lower end of the fitting G, and the lever H mounted thereon will be undisturbed. If, however, the wood swells, the screw F will travel along the slot F' and will still support the rod D' by holding the same adjacent to said Wooden Wall.

'Whilel have described a specific form of Operating neehansn einploying a push button and level' coniiections, it is obvious that my improvement is equally appiicable to other types ot' Operating mechanism.

`Whnt I claim ne iny invention 15,-

1. The conbination With a` Wooden flushing tenk having e inetallie iining, ot a fiushing valve, a seat 'for said valve nounted on the bottom et seid tenk, :n aetnating meniber for Saiti TiYC, conneeting inechanisin between seid etueting member and said mite, and a tule'un toi? said oonneeting inechanien et the uppe' end ot said tenk, havin e .moistu'e-poot sngpo't positioned between the Wooden Wall and the inetaliie lining and extending from the bottom of the tank.

the coinbinaton With a Wooden [hish-- ing tenk having e inetailio iining, of? a, flush-- ing i'el've :i sent :tor said veive nounted on the bottom of said tenk en nctnating device 'for said mite extending through the Wooden tenk neznthe bottom thei'eof, con

` meeting .inechanisin between said uotuating member and seid valve passing over the top ot' said netalho lining and u tulerun for seid n'ieehnnisni ut the top of the tank having :t noieture-proet support extending to the bottom of the tenk between the Wooden wall and the inetmllie ining.

3. The eoinbinetion with e Wooden fiuehing tenk and e nietallic lining, of e moistni'e-proof ber Secured to the bottom of the tenk and extending Upward between the lining and the Wooden side Wall, and inechw nisni for Operating the fluehing valve niounted on the upper end of said bei'.

4:, The oonbinntion With a Wooden fiushing tank and a meteilic lining, of a noistui'e-proot bei' lying adjacent to the innei' face of the Wooden side Wall of the tenk and having a foot at its lower end Secured to the bottoin of the tenk, means for secili-ing the upper end of said bar to the Wooden Wall, pei'initting of the relative expansion and cont'aetion of the Letter. and Operating inechnnisin foithe flushing valve nonnted on the uppe' end of said bar.

5. The conbinntion With a Wooden fiuehing tenk and :i inetallic linin of a push button Vizive nctuating deviee nounted on the Wall of the tank near the bottom thereot, a flushing VliV, e seat there'fo" mounted on the bottom` and within the netallie iining of said tenk, eonneetions between said push button and fiushing valve extending over the top ot' said netaiiic lining, a mois tu'e-prooi" bei' nounted on the bottom of said tenk and extending upwerd between the Wooden Wall nnd the inetailie lining and :1 fnlci'un ;tor said conneeting n'echanisn inounted on the upper end oi' said bar.

In testimony Whereot I afiix ny signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM LIONEL HEAP.

witnesses Al( TIIOINY KOOIMAN, JENNE KRUIZENGA.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by adressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C." 

